Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Using sequentially applied treating agents
Reexamination Certificate
2005-01-18
2005-01-18
Kornakov, M. (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Using sequentially applied treating agents
C134S003000, C134S019000, C134S026000, C134S030000, C134S031000, C134S033000, C134S034000, C134S036000, C134S037000, C438S906000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06843857
ABSTRACT:
The invention encompasses methods for cleaning surfaces of wafers or other semiconductor articles. Oxidizing is performed using an oxidation solution which is wetted onto the surface. The oxidation solution can include one or more of: water, ozone, hydrogen chloride, sulfuric acid, or hydrogen peroxide. A rinsing step removes the oxidation solution and inhibits further activity. The rinsed surface is thereafter preferably subjected to a drying step. The surface is exposed to an oxide removal vapor to remove semiconductor oxide therefrom. The oxide removal vapor can include one or more of: acids, such as a hydrogen halide, for example hydrogen fluoride or hydrogen chloride; water; isopropyl alcohol; or ozone. The processes can use centrifugal processing and spraying actions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3898141 (1975-08-01), Ermanis et al.
patent: 4050954 (1977-09-01), Basi
patent: 4186032 (1980-01-01), Ham
patent: 4261791 (1981-04-01), Shwartzman
patent: 4264374 (1981-04-01), Beyer et al.
patent: 4615762 (1986-10-01), Jastrzebski
patent: 4695327 (1987-09-01), Grebinski
patent: 4749440 (1988-06-01), Blackwood et al.
patent: 4817652 (1989-04-01), Liu et al.
patent: 4899767 (1990-02-01), McConnell
patent: 4917123 (1990-04-01), McConnell et al.
patent: 4943540 (1990-07-01), Ren et al.
patent: 4971654 (1990-11-01), Schnegg et al.
patent: 4974530 (1990-12-01), Lyon
patent: 5055138 (1991-10-01), Slinn
patent: 5063609 (1991-11-01), Lorimer
patent: 5105556 (1992-04-01), Kurokawa et al.
patent: 5120370 (1992-06-01), Mori et al.
patent: 5129955 (1992-07-01), Tanaka
patent: 5158100 (1992-10-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5181985 (1993-01-01), Lampert et al.
patent: 5221423 (1993-06-01), Sugino et al.
patent: 5232511 (1993-08-01), Bergman
patent: 5234540 (1993-08-01), Grant et al.
patent: 5235995 (1993-08-01), Bergman et al.
patent: 5238500 (1993-08-01), Bergman
patent: 5244000 (1993-09-01), Stanford et al.
patent: 5246526 (1993-09-01), Yamaguchi et al.
patent: 5248380 (1993-09-01), Tanaka
patent: 5294570 (1994-03-01), Fleming, Jr. et al.
patent: 5308745 (1994-05-01), Schwartzkopf
patent: 5326406 (1994-07-01), Kaneko et al.
patent: 5372651 (1994-12-01), Kodama
patent: 5378317 (1995-01-01), Kashiwase et al.
patent: 5415191 (1995-05-01), Mashimo et al.
patent: 5464480 (1995-11-01), Matthews
patent: 5489557 (1996-02-01), Jolley
patent: 5503708 (1996-04-01), Koizumi et al.
patent: 5520744 (1996-05-01), Fujikawa et al.
patent: 5571367 (1996-11-01), Nakajima et al.
patent: 5632847 (1997-05-01), Ohno et al.
patent: 5647386 (1997-07-01), Kaiser
patent: 5658615 (1997-08-01), Hasebe et al.
patent: 5705089 (1998-01-01), Sugihara et al.
patent: 5776296 (1998-07-01), Matthews
patent: 5803982 (1998-09-01), Kosofsky et al.
patent: 5832177 (1998-11-01), Shinagawa et al.
patent: 5858107 (1999-01-01), Chao et al.
patent: 5896875 (1999-04-01), Yoneda
patent: 5911837 (1999-06-01), Matthews
patent: 5944907 (1999-08-01), Ohmi
patent: 5950643 (1999-09-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 5964952 (1999-10-01), Kunze-Concewitz
patent: 5971368 (1999-10-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 6146469 (2000-11-01), Toshima
patent: 6249933 (2001-06-01), Berfield
patent: 6267125 (2001-07-01), Bergman et al.
patent: 6273108 (2001-08-01), Bergman et al.
patent: 6551409 (2003-04-01), DeGendt et al.
patent: 6589359 (2003-07-01), Kamikawa et al.
patent: 20020011257 (2002-01-01), DeGendt
patent: 0 472 441 (1991-08-01), None
patent: 0 587 889 (1992-05-01), None
patent: 0 548 596 (1992-11-01), None
patent: 0 782 177 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 52-12063 (1977-04-01), None
patent: S61-004232 (1986-01-01), None
patent: 62-117330 (1987-05-01), None
patent: 62 118528 (1987-05-01), None
patent: 63-110732 (1988-05-01), None
patent: H01-262627 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 02-164035 (1990-06-01), None
patent: 03-072626 (1991-03-01), None
patent: H03-208900 (1991-09-01), None
patent: H04-125927 (1992-04-01), None
patent: H04-298038 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 04 301245 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 4-302144 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 04-302145 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 04-326516 (1992-11-01), None
patent: 04-370931 (1992-12-01), None
patent: 05-013398 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 05-047741 (1993-02-01), None
patent: 05-109686 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 05-902329 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 05-183151 (1993-07-01), None
patent: 05-259139 (1993-10-01), None
patent: 05-283389 (1993-10-01), None
patent: 06-204130 (1994-07-01), None
patent: 07-159980 (1995-06-01), None
patent: 8-8222 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 08-08222 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 08-160032 (1996-06-01), None
Golland, D. E., et al., “The Clean Module: Advanced Technology for Processing Silicon Wafers.”Semiconductor Int'l.,pp. 154-157 (Sep. 1987).
Abstract of JP 3041729 published Feb. 2, 1991.
Heyns, M. M., et al. “New Wet Cleaning Strategies for Obtaining Highly Reliable Thin Oxides,” MRP Symposium Proceedings on Materials Research Society, Spring Meeting, San Francisco, Calif. Apr. 12-13, 1993, p. 35 (1993).
Adler, Marilyn Grace and Hall, George Richard, “The Kinetics and Mechanism of Hydroxide Ion Catalyzed Ozone Decomposition in Aqueous Solution”J. Am. Chem. Soc.,Vol. 72, pp. 1884-86, 1950.
Nelson, Steve, “Ozonated water for photoresist removal”Solid State Technology,pp. 107-112 (July 1999).
Christenson, Kurt K., et al. “Denionized Water Helps Remove Wafer Stripping ‘Resist’-ance,” www.precisioncleaningweb.com—Precision Cleaning Web—Archieves,pp. 10-20 (April 1998).
Sehested, K., et al., “Decomposition of Ozone in Aqueous Acid Solutions (pH 0-4),”J. Phys. Chem.,pp. 1005-1009 (1992).
Krusell, W. C. et al., “Cleaning Technology for High Volume Production of Silicon Wafers,”ECS Proc. of the First Int'l. Symposium on Cleaning Technology I Semiconductor Device Mfg.,pp. 23-32 (October 1989).
Vig, John R., “UV/Ozone Cleaning of Surfaces: A Review,”Surface Contamination: Genesis, Detection, and Control,pp. 235-253 (1979).
Tong, Jeremy, et al., “Aqueous Ozone Cleaning of Silicon Wafers,”ECS Extended Abstracts,Phoenix, Ariz., Abstract No. 506, p. 753 (Oct. 13-17, 1991).
Zafonte, Leo, et al., “UV/Ozone Cleaning For Organics Removal on Silicon Wafers,”SPIE Optical Microlithography III: Technology for the Next Decade,Vol. 470, pp. 164-175 (1984).
Baumgärtner, H., et al., “Ozone Cleaning of the SI-SIO2Systems,”Appl. Phys. A,Vol. 43, pp. 223-226 (1987).
Isagawa, Tatsuhiko, et al., “Ultra Clean Surface Preparation Using Ozonized Ultrapure Water,”Extended Abstracts of the 1982 Int'l. Conf. on Solid State Devices and Materials,pp. 193-195 (1992).
Shimada, H., et al., “Residual-Surfactant-Free Photoresist Development Process,”J. Electrochem., Soc.,193(6):1721-1730 (June 1992).
Tong, Jeremy K. et al., “Aqueous Ozone Cleaning of Silicon Wafers,”Proc. of 2ndInt'l. Symposium on Cleaning Tech. In Semiconductor Device Mfg.,pp. 18-25 (October 1992).
Tong, Jeremy K., et al., “Aqueous Ozone Cleaning of Silicon Wafers,”Res. Soc. Symp.,pp. 18-25 (1993).
Ohmi, T. et al., “Native Oxide Growth and Organic Impurity Removal of Si Surface with Ozone-Injected Ultrapure Water,”J. Electrochem. Soc.,140(3):804-810 (March 1993).
Vig. John R., et al., “UV/Ozone Cleaning of Surfaces,”IEEE Transactions on Parts, Hybrids, and Packaging,Vol. PHP-12(4):365-370 (December 1976).
Vig, John R., “UV/Ozone cleaning of surfaces,”U.S. Army Electronics Technology and Devices Laboratory,ERADCOM, Ft. Monmouth, N.J. 07703-5302, pp. 1027-1034 (September/October 1984).
Tabe, Michiharu, “UV ozone cleaning of silicon substrates in silicon molecular beam epitaxy,”Appl. Phys. Lett.,45(10):1073-1075 (November 1984).
Zazzera, L. A., et al., “XPS and SIMS Study of Anhydrous HF and UV/Ozone-Modified Silicon (100) Surfaces,”J. Electrochem. Soc.,136(2):484-491 (February 1989).
Gabriel, Calvin, et al., “Reduced Device Damage Using An Ozone Based Photoresist Removal Process
Kornakov M.
Perkins Coie LLP
Semitool Inc.
LandOfFree
Methods for cleaning semiconductor surfaces does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Methods for cleaning semiconductor surfaces, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods for cleaning semiconductor surfaces will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3423878